Urinals
Urinals are provided in men’s public restrooms for the purposes of urinating in a standing position. Designed with automatic, manual, timed, or door regulated flushing, urinals are commonly arranged in rows of single sanitary fixtures with or without the inclusion of privacy walls. For men, urinals are more space efficient, faster, and more sanitary in busy public restrooms than toilet stalls. Until the 1900s street urinals were commonly seen, but they were gradually replaced as a result of their smell and lack of hygiene. Several types of female urinals have been designed, but their implementation in public restrooms is rare.
To install a urinal, draw on your wall where the urinal should be installed with a pencil making sure to hang it from studs. Determine where the pipes will go and create outlets for the pipes. Shut off the water and connect your urinal to the pipes. Turn on the water and flush it a couple times to ensure it is working.
Waterless urinals divert urine into a trap valve. The trap valve contains a chemical that displaces the urine, forcing it lower into the trap. The liquid prevents odors and urine from leaking back to the urinal. As the trap fills up, urine is released to a drain connected to a sewer.
A urinal cake is a urinal deodorizer block and is designed to offset the scent of urine from the urinal and control bacteria. Urinal cakes are a necessity since urinals don’t always wash urine down the drain effectively. Urinal cakes also are known to have carcinogens.
